Women Shaping the World as We Know It: Armina Smajlhodžić, Engineer at Medena Commerce

We have become all too accustomed to the world as we know it: we take it for granted, rarely questioning what lies behind it, the forces that drive it, the cogs that turn to provide us with the assumed comforts of modern life. Especially, we do not think about the people who shape it through their actions.

#ThePinkIndustry presents: Armina Smajlhodžić; Engineer, Master of Mechanical Engineering, Head of Machining Production at Medena Commerce

Armina Smajlhodžić is an engineer, Master of Mechanical Engineering, and Head of Machining Production at the Tešanj-based metal processing company Medena Commerce. Born in Olovo in 1987, she completed her studies at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Sarajevo, in 2012.

After finishing her studies, Armina started a family and moved to Tešanj, where, unable to find a job in her field, she was employed at a local butcher shop. While not unique, her experience is a representative example highlighting the need for stronger connections and closer collaboration between the education system, institutions, and employers.

It is a great loss not to utilize people’s potential and knowledge in the fields for which they were primarily educated. Armina is an example that confirms this through her expertise, dedication, and reliability.

During our visit to Medena Commerce, she acted as our host, guiding us through the production halls, explaining complex and well-organized processes, and introducing colleagues and their responsibilities. “Medena Commerce serves European markets, including the machinery, automotive, food, automation, and robotics industries. There are very few requests we cannot meet,” she emphasizes.

“It is a great loss not to utilize people’s potential and knowledge in the fields for which they were primarily educated. Armina is an example that confirms this through her expertise, dedication, and reliability,” Mr. Fikret Ireiz, the owner of the company, praises Armina without reservation.

The expansive factory complex—including the machining production hall, welding department, measurement room, tool room, assembly hall, and cafeteria—is also where her daily tasks are organized.

Smiling and approachable, yet modest…

Nevertheless, with her authority based on knowledge and expertise, she keeps processes and employee communication under control, ensuring work progresses smoothly.

“I have been working here for ten years, and the team is excellent. We operate in two shifts, and in addition to the machine operators, the toolmaker, technologist, programmer, and supervisor are always present. We coordinate and distribute tasks,” she says.

Smiling and approachable, yet modest…

Nevertheless, with her authority based on knowledge and expertise, she keeps processes and employee communication under control, ensuring work progresses smoothly.

The average age of employees in this company is 31, reflecting a commitment to young and promising talent. Furthermore, respect, professionalism, and perseverance are the core values that define and guide daily work and operations.

Walking through the production hall, we notice how everything is clean and orderly, completely contrary to the negative perception often associated with the industry. We ask her how they manage this.

“Yes, everyone first notices how clean and tidy it is. We all try,” he says, emphasizing, as in everything, the importance of personal example. “I always start with myself as the boss in production – I go and clean and put it away. When they see that, the employees are ashamed. But in general, people have it in them, cleanliness and tidiness.”

We always strive to improve. Or leave the world at least as we found it

With the experience and tradition of young and educated people, women are an important pillar and an unrecognized force in building companies and society. Selma Bradarić, sales manager of this company, emphasizes: “The metal industry is mainly reserved for the male population and women in this sector are still considered exceptions. My experience working with women, in jobs reserved  exclusively for men, is very positive. I believe that women can sometimes contribute much more to certain jobs than men. They are more dedicated, more persistent, more meticulous in performing work tasks and women certainly still have unexplored potential for the development of this sector. They have not been given enough space and opportunities to show themselves.”

It is worth reminding, although it is obvious, Smajlhodžić and her colleagues construct our world: with uncompromising attention they process, measure, inspect the components that end up in some of the objects we use every day. It is not surprising, therefore, that at the end of our conversation he says: “We always strive to improve. Or leave the world at least as we found it.”